Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Portugal

Portugal: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line was 16.4% in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
16.4%
Change on year
down 10.9%
World rank
40th
of 73 countries
All-time high
20.4%
in 2003
All-time low
16.2%
in 2019
Years of data
19
2003–2021

Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Portugal, 2003–2021

051015202003201220212003: 20.42004: 19.42005: 18.52006: 18.12007: 18.52008: 17.92009: 17.92010: 182011: 17.92012: 18.72013: 19.52014: 19.52015: 192016: 18.32017: 17.32018: 17.22019: 16.22020: 18.42021: 16.4

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Portugal recorded 16.4% for proportion of population living below the national poverty line in 2021.

That represents a change of down 10.9% on the previous year and down 8.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Portugal peaked at 20.4% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 2019.

Portugal ranks 40th of 73 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.

Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Portugal, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%) in Portugal, 2003 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2003 20.4%
2004 19.4% -4.9%
2005 18.5% -4.6%
2006 18.1% -2.2%
2007 18.5% +2.2%
2008 17.9% -3.2%
2009 17.9% +0.0%
2010 18.0% +0.6%
2011 17.9% -0.6%
2012 18.7% +4.5%
2013 19.5% +4.3%
2014 19.5% +0.0%
2015 19.0% -2.6%
2016 18.3% -3.7%
2017 17.3% -5.5%
2018 17.2% -0.6%
2019 16.2% -5.8%
2020 18.4% +13.6%
2021 16.4% -10.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 18.7% 17.9% 20.4% 7
2010s 18.2% 16.2% 19.5% 10
2020s 17.4% 16.4% 18.4% 2

Countries ranked near Portugal

  1. 37 Costa Rica 17.1% compare
  2. 38 Malta 16.7% compare
  3. 39 Tunisia 16.6% compare
  4. 41 Botswana 16.1% compare
  5. 41 Sweden 16.1% compare
  6. 41 Uganda 16.1% compare

See the full ranking of 73 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Portugal

All data for Portugal →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Portugal?
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Portugal was 16.4% in 2021, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Portugal?
The highest recorded value was 20.4% in 2003.
What is the lowest proportion of population living below the national poverty line recorded in Portugal?
The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 2019.
How does Portugal rank for proportion of population living below the national poverty line?
Portugal ranks 40th out of 73 countries with data for 2021.
Is proportion of population living below the national poverty line rising or falling in Portugal?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Portugal data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population living below the national poverty line in Portugal. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-living-below-the-national-poverty-line-percent/portugal/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
73 places, 1,043 data points, 1985–2025
Last refreshed